ABSTRACT
Leishmaniasis in Ethiopia is caused by Leishmania donovani, L. aethiopica, and occasionally L. major and L. tropica. The reports documented the occurrence of cutaneous leishmaniasis in the highlands and of visceral leishmaniasis in the lowlands in Eritrea and areas in western and southern Ethiopia. The control of leishmaniasis in Ethiopia remains a major challenge. The discovery of new transmission sites, increasing population movements in and out of endemic areas, and widespread malnutrition and recurrent famine point to increased risk of leishmaniasis. Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) occurs in Ethiopia mainly in arid and semiarid lowlands below 1,300 m altitude. Many lowlands surrounding the central Ethiopian Highlands are known to be endemic areas. The age and sex distribution of reported VL cases depends largely on whether data were obtained from hospitals or from active surveillance. The symptoms of VL have traditionally been recognized by some people in Ethiopia.
